Radio
Jackie O reveals new plans to win over Melbourne
Jackie O Henderson has given a full and frank interview around the failure of The Kyle and Jackie O Show in Melbourne and revealed new measures have been put in place to ensure the show finds success after a disappointing start.
These measures include reducing the “smut” content, building on her natural chemistry with co-host Kyle Sandilands, and spending more time in the city to win over the audience.
Henderson also revealed Sandilands – who just announced he has two aneurysms and needs surgery – is looking to buy a house there so he can commit to the show’s growth in the Victorian city.
Peter Lalor hits back at SEN boss’ “misleading” explanation for axing
Cricket writer Peter Lalor has slammed SEN boss Craig Hutchison’s justification for his dismissal, calling it “misleading” and “disappointing.”
As Andrew Wu reports in The Sydney Morning Herald, Hutchison spoke about the incident on The Sounding Board podcast, saying that Lalor breached SEN’s social media policy by reposting content about the Gaza war that offended listeners. He also referenced memes containing “Nazi-related imagery” in his explanation.
“At the start of the series, near and overlapping the series, some of his recent republication on social media platform X offended some of our audience,” Hutchison said.
Tech
Musk’s $155bn OpenAI play divides Aussie tech insiders
Elon Musk’s $155bn takeover bid for OpenAI has split opinion in Australia’s tech sector. Some back his call to restore the company’s non-profit mission, while others see it as a strategic power grab.
As Joseph Lam reports in The Australian, a Musk-led investor group made the eye-watering offer on Monday, aiming to shift OpenAI’s direction.
“It’s time for OpenAI to return to being an open-source, safety-focused force for good,” Musk told The Wall Street Journal.
Vance warns against ‘tightening the screws’ on US tech giants
US Vice-President J.D. Vance has warned global regulators against clamping down on American tech giants, vowing to make the US the “gold standard” for AI.
As Hans van Leeuwen reports in The Australian Financial Review, Vance was speaking at an AI summit in Paris, when he took a swipe at the EU’s tightening tech regulations, calling them a “terrible mistake.”
“The Trump administration is troubled by reports that some foreign governments are considering tightening the screws on US tech companies,” he said. “America cannot and will not accept that.”
Porn on Aussie government websites? Blame the bots
Australian government websites are popping up in search results with explicit adult content – but it’s not hackers behind the mess, as reported by Cam Wilson in Crikey.
From the National Museum of Australia to Hume City Council, dodgy listings have slipped onto official .gov.au domains due to common cybersecurity slip-ups.
Cyber expert Jamieson O’Reilly says it’s mostly harmless – but definitely embarrassing.
Television
Ita Buttrose: Antoinette Lattouf ‘should never have been hired’
Former ABC chair Ita Buttrose has labelled Antoinette Lattouf an activist “critical of Israel” who had no place at the public broadcaster.
As Ellie Dudley reports in The Australian, Buttrose backed Aunty’s decision to cut ties with the stand-in radio host, dismissing claims in the Federal Court that she caved to external pressure, insisting she had no role in Lattouf’s dismissal.
The court also heard ABC board member Laura Tingle warned Buttrose in a lengthy email that the move could cause “reputational damage.”
ABC dodges legal action over Pell redress scheme reports
The ABC won’t face penalties – despite breaching federal laws with articles by journalist Louise Milligan on Cardinal Pell and the child abuse redress scheme.
As Dennis Shanahan reports in The Australian, The Department of Social Services warned both the ABC and The Monthly on January 31 that publishing “protected information” was a criminal offence, carrying potential jail time.
In a strongly worded letter, the department’s legal counsel said the outlets had violated strict privacy rules and put them “on notice.” However, no further action will be taken – for now.
Georgina Somerset named ABC Deputy Chair
The Federal Government has appointed Georgina Somerset AM as the ABC Board’s Deputy Chair for a six-month stint, filling the vacancy left by Peter Tonagh’s resignation in December.
Tonagh stepped down from his role to join the board of Nine Entertainment Co. as an independent non-executive director.
Communications minister Michelle Rowland said “the government wishes Mr Tonagh the best for his next chapter, and thank him for his service to public broadcasting.”
Brands
Breville eyes China as sales surge past $997m
Breville is taking its premium coffee machines to China, ramping up expansion across Asia and the Middle East.
Backed by billionaire Solomon Lew, the small appliance giant has doubled sales in five years, thanks to its high-end Oracle range, which sells for over $3600.
As Carrie LaFrenz reports in The Australian Financial Review, CEO Jim Clayton reported a 10.1% revenue boost to $997.5 million for the half-year – just shy of the $1 billion forecast – while net profit jumped 16.1% to $97.5 million.